Barcelona make bid for Dinamo Zagreb’s Dani Olmo

Dani Olmo (Photo: HNS)

ZAGREB, 31 December 2019 – Spanish giants Barcelona have made an official bid for Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Dani Olmo, daily Sportske novosti reports. 

Olmo has been the target of a number of big European clubs after an impressive year for the Croatian champions. The Barcelona bid was confirmed by Olmo’s agent Andy Bara. 

“Yes, it is true, an offer arrived for Olmo. We will see how things develop,” Bara told Sportske novosti. 

If the deal materialises, Olmo will return back home. Olmo was in Barcelona’s youth team before deciding to join the Dinamo Zagreb Academy at the age of 16. 

Dani Olmo when he arrived at Dinamo in 2014 with Tomislav Svetina (GNK Dinamo)

“Barcelona is the biggest club in the world which gives a chance to its kids. Nevertheless, there is no other club where at my age I would get so many chances as Dinamo. I train and play with internationals who have experience at World Cups and Euros. Henriquez was at Manchester United, Eduardo kept for Portugal, Vukojević played for Croatia. Who could offer me that at my age? Barcelona? No chance. I am developing a lot faster than I would anywhere else, even at La Masia (home to Barcelona’s youth squad),” Olmo said a year after arriving in Zagreb.

“My former teammates at Barcelona were first shocked, and then they understood my decision to move to Dinamo was the right one. Whilst I am playing senior football, they will have to wait 2-3 years, and that’s if they make senior football,” he said.

After developing with Dinamo Zagreb, Olmo’s breakthrough year came in 2018 when he was voted Croatian first division player of the year. He was impressive for the club in their run in the Europa League and again caught the attention of some of Europe’s big clubs when he won the Under-21 European Championship with Spain.

Olmo (Photo: HNS)

This season he has continued his great form and was a standout for Dinamo in the Champions League which saw him earn his first full cap for Spain, scoring on debut against Malta.

This is the second offer for the talented midfielder which has arrived at the Maksimir club. The first offer was made by Borussia Mönchengladbach. 

Olmo was quoted as saying last week, during the winter break in the Croatian league, that his time at Dinamo Zagreb had likely come to an end.